Range



March 6, 1928. 1,651,647

L. A. ALTHOFF RANGE iii March 6, 1928.

L. A. ALTHOFF RANGE Filed March 25, 1925 4 Sheets-Set 2 March 6, 1928.

L. A. ALTHOFF RANGE Filed March 23, 1,925

Marcl 6, 1928.

L. A. ALTHOFF RANGE Filed March 25, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l D L @www Patented Mar. 6, 1928. i

UNITED STATES LAWRENCE A. ALTHOFF, OF LA. PORTE, INDIANA.

RANGE.

Application :tiled March 23, 1925. Serial No. 17,65'3.

This invention relates particularly to stoves or ranges. The invention has been primarily devised for gas-range purposes, but various features thereof may be cm- 5 ployed in connection with other kinds-of ranges.

The primary object is to provide a range of improved general construction. Various features of improvement are embodied in l the range illustrated in the accompanying drawings. rFliese features include provision whereby the top of the oven section of the range may serve as a table top; the feature of a shelf which extends rearwardly from l the rear wall of the range, preferably at the level of the top of the oven, and which carries the rear standard plate, this feature providing 4for the spacing of the range from the wall and avoiding any encumberance over the space disposed above the cooking top of the range; improved means for mountin the doors with which the range is provi ed; improved means for attaching handles to the doors; improved means for -making vconnections between different. elements employedin the construction of the range, and particularly improved means for connecting the sheet-metal members employed with cast-ingsemployed; and an improved cooking top arrangement involving the use of grid-plates having skeleton or open-work front portions and solid rear portions equipped with removable plates disposed over the rear burners.

The invention is illustrated in its `preferred embodiment in` the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l represents a plan view of a gasiange embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a front elevational view of the same, the legs at one side being shown brokenly; Fig. 3, a broken vertical sectional View taken as indicated at line 3 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4, a detailed sectional view taken as indicated at line 4 of Figs. l and 2 and showing the manner of attaching the handles to the doors; Fig. 5, a detailed sectional view taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the manner in which a sheet-metal memy 50 ber is connected with a casting, specifically in this case the connection between a door lining and the' frame portion of the door; Fig. 6, an inner elevational view of one of the rear shelf brackets; Fig. 7, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 7 of Fig. 2, showing .a door hinge; Fig. 8, a.

broken plan sectional view taken as indicated at line 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a broken vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10, a plan sectional view taken as indicated at line 10 of Fig. 2; Fig. 11, a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line l1 of Fig. l; and Fig. 12, a broken vertical sectional view showing one of the end brackets of the shelf and the manner in which the shelf is connected therewith.

In the construction illustrated, A designates the cooking-top of the range, beneath which is located the burner-box A which is open at its front; A2 designates a utensil compartment located beneath the burnerboii, and B designates an oven section comprising the main oven B and the broiler oven B2 located beneath the main oven.

The range is constructed chiefly of sheetmetal and suitable angles. It is provided with a base frame l which is supported upon short legs 2. The oven section B and the section comprising the utensil compartment A2, the burner-box Af, and the cooking-top A, are suitably mounted on the frame 1.

The arrangement is such that the top of the oven section is at a suitable distance4 above the floor, to serve as a table-top; and the cooking-top A is disposed only a short distance below the top of the oven section. The space above the cooking-top is entirel open, except that thereis a rear wall 3 bac of the space above the cooking-top.

The gas manifold 4 is disposed across the front opening of the burner-box A', and is supported iii any preferred manner. The front burners 5, and the rear burners 6 of the cooking-top section are located wit-hin the burner-box A', and are served from the p manifold 4.

The cooking-top A is provided with a frame 7 which preferably is of cast metal. This frame is suitable rabbeted at its inner periphery, thus providing a de ressed iange 7 upon which are supported t 1e grid-plates 8. Each late comprises an open-work, or skeleton, ront portion 8, and a solid rear portion 8b. Each plate is tted with a removable lid 9 disposed over a rear burner.

The ovens are formed from sheetmetal plates which are suitably connected together. The main oven B is provided with a sheetmetal top plate 10 'having downturned flanges 10a which embrace the walls of the oven section. The body of the top plate 10 is depressed, so that there is thus formed a' raised marginal portion 10b. In this manner, the top is paneled and in condition to serve as a table-top.

The rear wall 11 of the range consists of a sheet-metal plate to the upper portion of which is secured a pair of end brackets 12 and an intermediate bracket 13. The end brackets 12 are suitably recessed to embrace the rear corners of the range at their upper portions and to provide channels 12n (Figs. 6 and 12), which receive the end edges of the sheet-metal member which forms the shelf 14 and the rear standard plate 14a. The parts are suitably connected by bolts and screws, where desired. The shelf 14 is substantially flush with the oven top 10. It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the shelf extends rearwardly from the rear wall of the stove; and it will be understood from Fig. 1 that the shelf in no wise obstructs the space above the cooking-top A. The shelf extension of the range serves to space the range from the wall. In the space beneath the shelf, there is provided a conduit, or flue, 15 (Figs. 3 and 10), which is suitably connected with the burner-box and with the air lues of the ovens, so that the gases and heated air may pass into the flue 15, and thence through a pipe 15 to the chimney.

The ovens B and B2 are provided, respectively, with doors B3 and B4; and the utensil compartment A2 is provided with a door A3. Each door preferably comprises a rectangular frame portion 16 which may be of cast metal, a lining panel 16n of sheetmetal, and an outer panel 16b of sheet-metal. It will be understood that the outer surfaces of exposed sheet-metal members, and other members, if desired, may be suitably enameled.

The frame member 16 of each door is so constructed as to afford at the outer periphery an inturned flange 16c (Fig. 5). The lining panel 16a is provided with marginal flanges which are telescopically received within the flanges 16C. The casting which forms the frame 16 is provided interiorly near the corners of the frame with lugs 17 which are divided to form furcations; and these furcations are provided with slots 18 which are open at the top sides of the lugs and which receive nuts 19. The lining panel 16 is provided near its corners with perforations which receive screws 20 which enter between the furcations of the lugs 17 and screw into the nuts 19. Thus, a convenient concealed connection is provided between the lining panel and the frame portion of the door. The outer sheet-metal panel 16b of the door is provided with a peripheral flange 21 (SF ig. 3) which bears against the inner panel 16a. The anel 16b is formed with a peripheral shoul er 22 which is engaged by the inner margin of the rectangular frame 16. The body portion of the panel 16b is dished outwardly and extends through the opening in the frame 16. It will be noted that when the lining panel is secured in position, the peripheral portion of the outer panel 16b is, at the same time, clamped between the lining panel and the rectangular frame of the door.

The frame 16 of the door is provided at its lower corners with trunnions 23 which extend laterally. These trunnions are provided at intermediate portions with stop lugs 23 (Figs. 7, 8 and 9). The trunnions are connected with the front frames 24 and 25 of the range by means of housing strips 26 which are removably secured to said front frames as by means of screws 27. The strips 26 associated with the oven doors B3 and B are provided with bearing portions 26a and 26') which house the trunnions of the lower door and the upper door respectively. The housing strips 26, associated with the utensil compartment door A3, are provided with bearings 26a. These bearings are all of the same general nature. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show a detail of one of the bearings 26". A description of one bearing will suffice. The bearing for the trunnion is provided by a slot 28 which extends forwardly from the rear surface of the housing strip and which ends at its front in rounded surfaces adapted to afford a suitable bearing. The casting is Kalso provided with interior lugs 29 (Fig. 7) which serve to prevent dislodgment of the trunnion from its proper position in the bearing. The stop 23a on the trunnion is adapted to engage an internal shoulder 30 with which the housing strip is provided. Thus, the door may be supported in the horizontal position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

The frame casting 16 of each door has its upper member provided with a pair of forwardly projecting lugs 31 (Figs. 1 and 4). These lugs preferably are cored from the inner surface of the frame to provide recesses 31, as shown in Fig. 4. The front ends of the lugs are provided with part spherical depressions 31b which receive the ball-form end portions 32 of the handle 323. The rear surface of each ball is provided with a. bore which is tapped to receive a screw 33. The screw has its head located in the recess 31", and the screw extends through a perforation inthe boss 31 and into the threaded socket with which the ball portion of the handle is provided. Thus, the handles are securely connected with the frames of the doors by concealed screws.

The front flange 10 of the top plate 10 of the oven is disposed back of the upper cross member of the front frame 24 of the oven, and is secured thereto by means of concealed screws 34 (Fig. 3) which extend into nuts 35 held in slotted lugs 36 which are cast integrally with the front frame and disposed in a transverse rabbet which is cored in the rear surface of the top member. The connection is similar to the connection shown in Fig. 5.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the improved construction provides an exceedingly staunch and desirable range, which is not likely to get out of order, and which is of neat appearance.

The burner-box A has resting on its bottom wall 37 a removable tray 38 (Fig. l1).

As shown in Fig. 10, the front frame 24 of the oven-unit is also provided at intermediate portions at or near the lower portion of the main oven door with connections 39 between the lateral sheet-metal walls ot' the oven and the frame members. The connections 39 comprise slotted lugs 39, nuts 39b held in the slotted lugs, and screws 39c extending through the inturned flanges ot the sheet-metal side members and engaging the nuts. The connection is similar to the connection shown at the upper lett hand portion of Fig. 3. f

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clear-ness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

vWhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A range comprising a base, an ovenunit mounted thereon, a cooking-top mounted at one side of the oven-unit and disposed a short distance below the oven-top, a shelf projecting rearwardly from the body of the range in a plane substantially flush with the oven-top and extending transversely throughout the width of the range, a standard plate rising from the rear edge of said shelf, and a transverse ilue disposed beneath said shelf and communicating with the burner-box and flues of the range.

2. A range comprising a base, a broiler oven and a superposed main oven mounted on said base, a cooking-top and burner-box disposed at one side of the main oven, said cooking-top comprising a `frame and grid plates removably mounted on said frame, said lgrid plates having open-work front por tions and closed rear portions, and a flue at the rear portion of the range communieating with the rear portion of said burnerbox and with the flues of said ovens.

3. A range comprising a base, a broiler oven and a superposed main oven mounted on said base, a compartment mounted on said base at one side of the broiler oven and the lower portion of the main oven, a cooking-top and burner-box disposed above said compartment, a rearwardly projecting sheltl disposed back of the body ot' the range and substantially flush with the oven-top, and a flue disposed back of the range and beneath said shelf and communicating with the {iues of the oven and the. rear portion of the burner-box.

4. In a range, the combination of a base, an oven-unit mounted on one end of said base and comprising a lower broiler oven and an upper main oven, a. utensil compartment mounted ou the other end of said base opposite the broiler oven and the lower portion of the main oven, a cooking-top and burnerbox mounted above said compartment, said cooking-top being disposed a short distance below the oven-top, a rearwardly projecting shelf disposed back of the body of the range substantially flush with the oven-top and eX- tending across the width of the range, said shelf having formed integrally therewith an upturned flange serving as a rear standard plate, and end brackets secured to the rear portion of the body of the range and concealing the end edges of the shelf and standard plate.

LAVRENCE A. ALTHOFF. 

